Flower Love
If you’ve decided to take the plunge and build your next home, then no doubt you are thinking about whether you need to find a custom home builder or whether you could get away with a deviating design. While both options each have their own pros and cons, there are some scenarios where a custom build is always the better option.
- When price is not a key factor
If you have an unlimited budget, a custom build is always a better option. However, the reality is that most of us have to work within budget and custom build can prove too costly.
The main attraction of choosing an off-the-plan design from a volume manufacturer is almost always price. Volume manufacturers often use similar materials in all of the homes they build, allowing them to negotiate bulk discount prices that a small volume manufacturer simply cannot compete with. They also use a number of best practices and construction methods to help them build their homes at the lowest possible cost.
In addition, they usually prefer to build in pre-selected, low-risk locations where they have thoroughly tested the soil and assessed the likelihood of problems such as impacting rock during the building process. It is this risk assessment that enables many of them to offer fixed-price packages to their customers – something almost unheard of in custom homes.
- When you want to create something unique
When you have great ideas about a home that is packed with features that you don’t come across every day, Custom is the way to go.
While many like volume builders these Geelong home builders can offer 50+ different home designs that appeal to the majority of home buyers. If you want something very specific, a volume maker is unlikely to be maintaining your big plans.
Many volume builders allow you to make some minor changes or additions to their designs for an additional charge. However, this is not the preferred design. In contrast, working on one-off, one-of-a-kind designs is a strength of custom builders.
If you want to create a home with a wood-lined raised ceiling, expansive areas of glass with recessed window coverings, a large cantilever deck, or the latest in eco-tech, in most cases it just doesn’t work and a custom home builder would be far better equipped to process your inquiries.
- When you’re building in a challenging place
The other key scenario that will require custom home construction is when you are building in a challenging location.
You could be dealing with climatic issues like high winds or extreme temperatures, you could be building in a location with restricted road access making it difficult for construction vehicles to get onto the property, or you could be working with difficult terrain like soft or sandy soil, underneath lying rock or a clearly sloping block.
Most volume builders don’t approach a project that has so many potential challenges and unknowns that you shouldn’t waste your time and reach out directly to a custom builder who has experience working on similar projects.